The Tonopah Divide silver lode was discovered through the persistence of H.C. “Cal” Brougher, the President of Tonopah Divide Mining Company, in 1917.  George Wingfield, the President of Goldfield Consolidated Mines Company, was elected to the Board of Directors of Tonopah Divide Mining Company and with his financial backing for development work, the first ore was shipped to the Goldfield Consolidated Mines Company mill in Goldfield in October 1918. By 1919 it became evident that a large and valuable silver lode had been discovered. The value of this find, its nearness to Tonopah, a great silver producing center and soaring silver prices resulted in a mining stampede. An area of 50 square miles around Gold Mountain was claimed. Hundreds of companies were organized, nearly all with “Divide” as part of their names. Other companies incorporated in the Divide Mining District by Brougher and Wingfield which shipped ore or had interesting prospects included Belcher Divide Mining Company, Belcher Divide Extension Mining Company, Brougher Divide Mining Company, Grimes Divide Mining Company, High Divide Mining Company, Kernick Divide Mining Company, Silver Divide Mining Company and Thomson Divide Mining Company. Today most of the mining properties comprising these companies are owned or controlled by Tonopah Divide Mining Company. Many Divide companies were listed on the San Francisco Stock Exchange, Tonopah Divide Stock Exchange or traded on the New York Curb Exchange to raise venture capital. Intense exploration activities followed and by the summer of 1919 over 100 shafts were being sunk in the Divide Mining District each with their own hoisting works. The initial boom subsided because of the failure to find minable quantities of ore on most of the claims staked during the rush. Tonopah Divide Mining Company continued to operate the Tonopah Divide Mine for its own account, mining and shipping ore to custom mills in Goldfield and Tonopah. By 1921 Clyde A. Heller the President of Tonopah Belmont Development Company, a major Tonopah, Nevada silver producer, was elected to the Board of Directors. Their geologist, George H. Garrey, began an intensive study of Tonopah Divide Mine geology. H.C. “Cal” Brougher passed away in 1922 to be succeeded as President by his wife, Elsie B. Brougher. Ben F. Edwards was elected Vice-President and General Manager. The Company paid two $.10 per share dividends to its shareholders in 1923. In 1924 the Company acquired through merger Tonopah Midway Consolidated Mining Company in the Tonopah Mining District and turned its attention to the deep development of the Midway Mine. In 1925 the Tonopah Divide Mine was turned over to lessees. They produced ore every year from the mine until 1948. Then in 1983-1985 the Falcon open pit at the Tonopah Divide Mine produced 120,000 tons of ore containing 300.000 ounce of silver and 3,000 ounces of gold.